Bucket #8: Water Conservation and Protection

Overall approach to addressing climate change through water conservation and protection: Restoring resiliency to streams and floodplains and protecting water sources from ever-increasing pressures of climate-related environmental changes and societal responses to climate change. Currently there are a number of efforts underway to protect groundwater and surface water and reduce conflict between land uses and natural processes affecting water resources.

Summit #2 Facilitators: Amy Chadwick (Great West Engineering), Bruce Sims (USFS Region 1, Retired). Group members: Bruce Farling (Montana Trout Unlimited), John Kappes (Mountain Water Co.), Peter Nielsen (Missoula Water Quality Dist.), Travis Ross (Missoula water Quality Dist.), Christine Brick (Clark Fork Coalition); Michael Sweet (Montana Climate Office); Barbara Chillcott (Clark Fork Coalition), Jack Tuholske (community member).

Top strategies identified:

 Adopt strategies that emphasize stream/wetland protection and restoration

 Work with planning agencies to protect floodplains/wetlands to reduce risks of flooding and property damage while enhancing groundwater infiltration.

 Expand water-focused education initiatives

 Improve groundwater/surface water interactions and water balance; improve understanding of how models work together; improve metrics used in modeling and communication.  Work to support new legislation to limit “exempt wells.”

Next step for top three proposals:

1. Stream/Wetland Restoration  Identify current efforts  Prioritize restoration types and areas; develop funding strategy  Integrate with in-stream water uses  Coordinate with Montana Watershed Coordination Council (MWCC) and local watershed groups, Conservation District (CD)and federal agencies for restoration, education and outreach  Strengthen riparian/stream/wetland protection in local ordinances and regulations

2. Floodplain Management/Channel Migration Zone (CMZ)  Lobby local government not to extend infrastructure into floodplain  Identify site providing best opportunity to improve floodplain resilience  Develop funding mechanism/plan for additional CMZ mapping  Do cost/benefit analysis of protecting or developing floodplain (start with benefits of protecting) and create unified position paper  Explore use of FEMA funding/easements to buy out flood-prone homes on Tower St. and restore floodplain  Improve grazing management, agricultural runoff management, and stormwater management in floodplains

3. Education  Identify and promote existing efforts  Work with Montana Watershed Coordination Council and Conservation Districts to develop action plan  Focus on expanding “tech-savvy” communication efforts  Develop “marketing strategy” for these issues with guidelines and target markets  Outline how to use increasing flooding risk and water mgt. to educate about climate change

Climate action strategies discussed:

Conserve • Develop projects to conserve water and lower associated energy use • Work to support new legislation to limit “exempt wells.” • Establish system of water trusts for conservation and water banks for users to voluntarily reallocate water where it’s most needed. • Complete ongoing statewide legal adjudication to address outdated water rights and update State Water Plan. • Evaluate potential for reintroduction of beaver and wetland restoration in headwaters. • Work with Local Food and Agriculture Bucket to improve irrigation methods for water users. • Encourage and showcase xeriscaping.

Protect • Support public ownership of Missoula’s drinking water supply. • Coordinate with economic development and planning agencies to support delineation and protection of floodplains and wetlands. • Work with developers, agencies, and elected officials to steer development away from floodplains and invest in natural flood control. • Identify infrastructure that is vulnerable to flooding develop plans to mitigate threats. • Enhance community understanding of ecosystem values of wetlands and floodplains. • Expand the water quality district with ultimate goal of improving water quality across region. • Monitor storm water inputs and improve storm water management

Additional Strategies  Improve groundwater/surface water interactions and water balance- Improve understanding of how models work together; improve metrics used in modeling and communication about it.  Expand and improve drought management and planning in watershed  Promote stream and wetland restoration (for water quality/water storage and timing)  Support resolution of Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes water compact issue  Dovetail with Smart Growth Bucket to address development in floodplains; Manage/establish setbacks based on CMZ  Influence policy to improve flexibility to change water rights and points of diversion- also to update irrigation infrastructure  Integrate water planning with development standards to decrease impermeable surface  Allocate more funding to prevent and mitigate effects of flooding after fire.  Research and support measures to reduce use of bottled water  Encourage State incentives to improve energy efficiency of pumping

Our hope: Missoula’s water resources and floodplains have the resiliency to withstand new pressures imposed by climate change and continue to provide clean water and ecosystem benefits to our community. Contact Person: Amy Chadwick at [email protected] or Bruce Sims at [email protected] or [email protected]